“WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY & BLACK THURSDAY”
Hi Birders
Today was one of those days that dreams are made of. 9 participants set out to count this week with two new counters and one old counter making his season debut.
Things started very slow with the usual spots having a smattering of geese, our first Trumpeters were found at Somenos Lake, just 4 over in the far corner, there were not many ducks out on the water, but a pair of Lesser Scaup paddled away from us as we scanned the far shore. A few Common and Hooded Mergansers dove for food and a single Pied-billed Grebe played hide and seek behind the Forest Museum.
Quist’s Farm had good number of Canada Geese and right in the middle was a immature Snow Goose who seemed to upset the Common Ravens as they picked on it and dive bombed the poor bird a few times. This was reminiscent of the way the Ravens treated the Golden Eagle last season, I guess if you look different you must be fair game and the Ravens take full advantage of this.
We headed along to Westholme Road where we picked up another 24 swans out in the flooded fields and then off down Richards Trail where 6 more were added and a ton of geese.
I kept hearing this clicking noise from behind me and it took a while until I discovered it was Barry firing off his camera out of the window, it is good to have some photographers along as we need some verification at times of what we are looking at, this came into play on Drinkwater Road as I sent senior Derrick across the road to count some geese. I had spotted this immature Bald Eagle in the tree and relayed the message to the others cars, but as I got out a message came back saying it was a Red-tailed Hawk, well can you believe it in the short time that it took me to get out of the truck these two birds had swapped places. The others questioned this and accused me of making a mistake in identification, well would I?
We pulled away and I kept my head down when Barry shouted that there were some small sandpiper type birds in the field, so we turned around and checked and there were few rocks scattered around, I thought just a mistake by a newbie with a camera. He insisted we go a bit further back and it was then that we spotted a group of Killdeer hunkered down in the field, there were at least 12 in a tight group taking in the nice Cowichan weather. Barry had made his mark and we didn’t question his sightings again. The other newbie was Janice who also was good at spotting birds and brought along some nice Cinnamon Buns for lunch, she can come again.
As you know last week we found some swans and a good number of Eagles down Boy’s Road, so this was our next stop. Who could imagine what was in store for us this was truly “Wonderful Wednesday” as we were treated to an amazing number of Eagles nearly 200 were counted with I’m sure the same numbers back in the trees that we couldn’t see, birds were all over the trees and down on the ground, just great to see so many, one can only assume that with the rivers running wild all the old salmon carcasses had been washed down river and the birds had turned up for the feast.
This is where my tale turns, senior Derrick had seemed to have forgotten the route and on several occasions took us along new pastures, this in turn made us very late and when I got home ‘she who must be obeyed” questioned me as to where I had been to this late hour, I explained that there so many eagles that it took a long time to count them all and that the other participants wouldn’t leave when requested. I could tell from past experience that the only way to convince my other half would be to take her down Boys Road the next day to see this great sight. Eric had posted a note to the web telling everyone to go down and see this spectacle, so I did expect to see a few birders there, but there was no
one and worse than that there were no eagles either, not a one, I could feel the knife entering my side as I pulled away and those eyes of disbelieve were penetrating the side of my head.
It was truly “Black Thursday”
I’m getting a little carried away here down in the basement, so best get back to the count.
Bench Road came through with our best numbers of swans for the day with just under 100 to delight the counters and 400 geese to keep us company, from here on in it was mainly geese and a few raptors that kept the tally sheets going and we hit the Dock Road where we managed to hit a few more swans.
Once again senior Derrick took us off the beaten track and headed down Khenipson Road where much to his delight we found more eagles and a smattering of swans.
Our day was over and I’m sure everyone involved had a wonderful time, I know I did.
There will I doubt never be another day when the Eagles will beat the Swans 268 – 161, but then the raptors are on a roll.
Have fun and see you next week.
Derrick